A Loving Father and Bus Driver Who Died From Coronavirus

A bus driver who drove the number eight bus through Alum Rock and a loving father-of-three died from coronavirus on Sunday 5 April.

Mohammed Nehman was described as a ‘loving, caring and bright person’.

His younger brother Arbab Ali said: “He was a loving and caring father and husband.

“He had a bond with his baby daughter, whenever she would cry, he would pick her up, put her against his chest and she would stop crying.

“He loved all his children to bits.

“When people would come on the bus, he would have friendly conversations with them. He would slow down for them if they were running for the bus.

“He used to talk to them as a friend and they have all said they have lost a friend.”

Mr Nehman, who had three children: two sons aged 11 and six and an 11-month-old daughter, had been self isolating at his Alum Rock home after falling ill with symptoms of Covid-19.

Mr Ali, 31, said: “He was staying away from his kids. He never got to hug them in the last two weeks.

“The day before he went to hospital, he called me. I was going to get some face masks and he asked me for around 20 because he wanted to hand them to his fellow bus drivers to keep them safe.”

But his condition took a turn for the worst on the morning of Saturday, March 28.

An ambulance took him to Heartlands Hospital where he remained for nine days. No visitors were allowed, and medical staff kept in touch with his worried family via phone.

He said: “He was on a ventilator with the highest pressure. They said his right lung was so infected, it wasn’t carrying enough oxygen. There were no other diseases or infections. He was a healthy man.

“On Sunday morning (April 5), I got a call from the doctor. He said he had deteriorated overnight and if we could send one person to the hospital.

“My eldest brother-in-law went and he read a verse from the Quran while he took his last breath.”

“This has left a hole in the community. I just want to raise awareness that my brother would drop other key workers off to work and was not worried about himself.

“I am due to get married in October and he was so excited and preparing for the wedding.